First Stand 2025 Falls Short of Viewership Expectations Despite Hanwha Life’s Victory
Hanwha Life Esports may have secured their inaugural international trophy at the recent First Stand 2025 tournament, but the event’s viewership metrics tell a different story. With only 1.1 million Peak Viewers (PV) for the Grand Final and approximately 18 million Hours Watched (HW) overall, the newest addition to the League of Legends global championship calendar significantly underperformed against pre-tournament projections.
Factors Behind the Underwhelming Numbers
Several key elements contributed to the viewership shortfall:
Inconvenient Broadcast Timing
Hosted in Korea, the tournament’s schedule created challenges for Western audiences, who needed to tune in during early morning or late night hours. This scheduling decision had a measurable impact on global viewership figures.
Absent Fan Favorites
The tournament lacked several popular teams with established global followings. T1, featuring the legendary Faker, and LOUD, which commands a substantial Portuguese-speaking audience, were notably absent. Without Brazil’s passionate fanbase in particular, a typically vocal community segment remained underutilized.
Early Season Positioning
As a new addition to the competitive calendar positioned immediately after the first regional splits, First Stand 2025 lacked the high stakes and narrative buildup that traditionally drive viewership for end-of-season tournaments. While the prize pool exceeded other competitions, fans typically engage most deeply with established tournaments like MSI and Worlds, where qualification implications create additional drama.
Viewership Dynamics Comparison
When comparing First Stand 2025 to MSI 2024, the differences become more apparent. Teams participating in MSI typically see their average viewership double or even increase tenfold when advancing from qualifiers to the main event. In contrast, First Stand 2025 participants experienced only a 167% average viewership increase between qualifiers and the main tournament.
Interestingly, finalist Hanwha Life Esports actually saw a 2% decrease in Average Viewers (AV) compared to their LCK Cup 2025 appearances. This decline likely relates to T1’s absence, as matches involving the popular organization consistently draw larger audiences regardless of opponents. In contrast, European finalist Karmine Corp experienced a modest 31% increase in viewership compared to their LEC Winter 2025 performances.
Looking Forward
While First Stand 2025 didn’t meet expected viewership benchmarks, it’s worth noting the tournament’s inaugural status. As a new addition to the League of Legends competitive ecosystem, future iterations will likely see adjustments as Riot Games refines the format and timing.
The data reinforces what many esports analysts have long observed: the presence of globally recognized organizations—particularly T1 with Faker—remains crucial for maximizing audience engagement. These prominent teams not only bring their dedicated fanbases but also attract more co-streamers and general interest, significantly enhancing overall viewership metrics.
As Riot Games continues to develop this new tournament, they’ll need to balance competitive integrity with audience-friendly elements if they hope to elevate First Stand to the same prominence as their established global championships.
